Even When it Hurts
by SonofCain
Summary: What If Faith wasn't alone? What if she found a family that understood her passion to fight? What if Her two new brothers had destinies of their own?


**I own none of the characters or rights to the works of Joss Whedon or Eric Kripke**

Chapter 1

000

As the fire spread throughout her house, Faith Lehane knew this was the day she would die. No child should ever have thoughts like that let alone be resigned to such a fate. Then again no child should have an alcoholic gambling and eventually absent father. No child should have an abusive drug-addled mother. And no child should be left alone with her mother's more questionable boyfriends. Unfortunately, Faith was such a child, one who had little going for her brief existence. No dog, no toys and only the faintest memory of her mother, sober for the briefest of times, reading her a Dr. Seuss book. This all changed when she met her friend.

When they first met Faith thought she was imaginary, she could practically see through her. She looked old, old enough to be her grandmother, or what she t thought a grandma would look like, her clothes looked outdated and dirty, and she seemed to flicker like a bulb as if it took her effort to merely exist. She wouldn't realize till years later how right she was. She was kind, bringing Faith toys and treats and sometimes even sing to her. Faith never questioned where they came from or why. She feared if she asked it would stop. It was only when her usual bruises became noticeable that everything changed. Her friend became angry. Plates and dishes would fly. Furniture would be turned over.

Her mother's boyfriends disappeared, apparently, even the police couldn't find them. Another man far more rugged than the cops that came before asked her mother more questions, ones when asked led Faith to think of her friend. As her friend got angrier so too did her mother what little stability she had left came crashing down. Leaving Faith as the only outlet for her rage. It was around this time her friend began tossing her mother around the room like a rag doll. She heard a crack when she hit the ground, and her mother never got up again. That's when everything burned. She didn't know if it was some loose wiring from the scuffle or if came from her friend, who seemed to also burn away, but her former home was soon covered in flames. As it got harder to breathe, she hid under the sink. Its where she would usually hide when her mother had fits, perhaps she would be protected from the flames. Alas, it was little help, and at some point, the poor abused little girl accepted this was the end.

In some ways, she viewed it as a blessing. Maybe her next life could be kinder to her, her friend often talked about heaven, about how a woman in a black dress offered to take her beyond but she declined, having unfinished business. Faith held tightly to the teddy bear, one of her friends' gifts, closed her eyes and waited for the women in black. It was that point the door crashed down. Faith opened her eyes and through the smoke saw a teenage boy, maybe five years older than her, with short hair, cropped up and dark blond, freckles on his face, wearing a leather jacket. His green eyes moved around frantically as if he as searching for something-

"Hello!? Anyone here?!" He called out.

-Faith then realized he was looking for her. She cautiously opened the cabinet door letting him spot her. As he waved through the flames and knelt down by her side, she scanned her body, not like her mother's boyfriends, but with concern and care.

"Hey kiddo, you ok?" He asked.

Faith stayed silent honestly debating whether or not he was real or a smoke-induced figment. Perhaps he was her version of the women in black. He looked like he wanted to ask more the but the flames got worse as bits of the ceiling began falling.

"Listen we gotta get outta here. Where's your mom?". Faith still stayed silent, but he followed her eyes towards her mother's body hidden by some broken and burning furniture. He choked on his next words whether from the smoke, holding back bile or a curse she couldn't tell. He turned back to her and reached out his hand.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, come on," He asked frantically. Faith hesitated, whatever trust she gave usually ended in pain, yet between the pain of bruises and death by burning she took her chances. She took his hand, strangely rough and calloused for his age, and as he picked her up, he waved through the flames and out the door just as the roof collapsed. They eventually settled near the bus bench in front of her house. As he set her down, he retook a quick glance at her checking for any burns before looking around to see if anyone else came to investigate the burning home. He seemed surprised that no did.

"Alright..." He kneeled down to her level, so they were eye to eye. " Now I gotta go, You need to wait here for the police, they'll take care of you ok?"

He didn't wait for an answer. As he moved away, Faith grabbed his hand and held tight. She didn't know why. All she knew is that her mother was gone, her friend was gone, her home was burned to the ground, and the boy who bothered to save her was leaving. He turned sharply, likely about to tell her off when he stared into her eyes. He then took a long hard look at her, finally noticing all the bruises that covered her body. He slowly leaned down again an met her at eye level holding a contemplative look on his face like he was choosing his next words carefully.

"What's your name?" He asked quietly. She paused for some time before finally responding.

"...Faith"

"Faith" He tested. "...Your mom wasn't a nice person was she?" She stayed silent, but her downcast eyes gave her away.

"Do you have any other family?"

She briefly pictured her father but quickly dismissed it. If he cared he would have taken her with him. She shook her head.

"Any neighbors or friends you could stay with?"

She shook it again. The boy looked torn, hesitant to speak the next few words before finally-

"Do..do you want to come with me?"

He took her completely by surprise. She really didn't know what to expect but she hardly thought he would take her with him. She didn't know this person, this stranger, yet in that brief span of time, he showed more care for her than most of her family. She stared up at him, the boy who saved her, before finally nodding. She had nowhere else to go, the police weren't going to help, they hadn't before, and if she was honest, she felt safer with him than she had with anyone else.

"Ok then..." he said with a smirk on his face that she couldn't help but like. He picked her up and started walking down the road with her hanging on his neck while holding her bear. "My name is Dean and ill be taking care of you."

He said it as a joke, but she couldn't help but believe him. Little did they know that fate had been changed for the both of them. Not by much but enough to make their journeys far more interesting.

In a way she was right. She did move on to the next life. Faith Lehane died in that broken, burning home. And from the ashes, Faith Winchester was born.

000

 **So here's my story. Its short for now but depending on how it's received I may keep it going. I always found the Buffy and Supernatural Universes could mesh together really well and I was inspired by another fic with the same premise as mine that sadly hasn't updated in a few years. I may edit or redo this later on. Leave your thoughts an reviews.**


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